Ownership of XL bully dogs is already restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate since February 2024.
There are approximately 57,000 exempt XL bullies currently registered in England and Wales. To comply, owners must adhere to strict regulations.
An extension of the law
The new rules, which are set to come into force from the 1st of November 2026, are an extension to the current law that regulates the ownership of an exempt dog of a banned breed.
The extension will prevent anyone from leaving children aged 12 or under alone with the dog.
Supervision at all times
“Our advice to all parents with dogs is to never leave kids and dogs alone, unsupervised.” explained Dr Samantha Gaines, an RSPCA dog welfare expert and the lead on dog control.
“The bond between dogs and children can be absolutely wonderful, but it’s important to remember that pets and young kids communicate very differently and, no matter how well we think we know our dogs, there are sometimes instances when they bite.”